Electric cars are already making us healthier in California, with the study from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California finding that just a 2% increase in electric cars per 1,000 people was associated with a .41ppb drop in nitrogen dioxide concentrations and a 3.2% drop in asthma-related emergency department visits. This is amazing, considering how quickly these changes have happened and with such a small amount of electric cars on the road. However, poorer areas are still not seeing the same benefits, and more must be done to ensure the health gains from electric vehicles are shared more equally. Read full article here
Culture
The Priest in the Arena
The phrase “man in the arena” has been popularized in recent years, but a lesser known, more dangerous archetype is the “priest in the arena”. This figure is responsible for a process called theocratic capture, where an institution surrenders to a cult demanding unaccountable authority, fueled by claims to privileged knowledge. These cults often target powerful institutions and attempt to monopolize conversations with scaremongering tactics and hostile treatment of allies. It is important to identify and stop theocratic capture before it can gain control. Read full article here
Merv
May 29, 2023
